FEBRUARY 2002 TRANSREPORT TRANSPORTATION NEWS FROM THE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION

MPO Seeks Comments on Transportation Plan Update and Public Involvement Program This month the Boston MPO will hold Staff will also present the draft Public “What’s New” button. While download- workshops around the region, cospon- Involvement Program. This document ing the documents from the Web site is sored by a variety of local and expands on its predecessor, which the fastest way to obtain them, they are transportation-related also available on CD- organizations, at which Workshops on the Transportation Plan Update and ROM, in print, and on the public can learn the MPO’s Public Involvement Program tape. To request a copy about and comment on All workshop cosponsored by the Regional Transportation Advisory of the documents in two documents cur- Committee and the American Council of Engineering Consultants the format of your rently undergoing public See page 4 for meeting locations choice, contact the review: the draft Central Transportation Weymouth Tuesday, February 5, 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. – Additional spon- Regional Transportation sors: Representative Joseph Sullivan, Chairman of the Joint Committee on Planning Staff at (617) Plan Update and the Transportation; Town of Weymouth; South Shore Coalition; and South Shore 973-7100 or public draft Public Involve- Chamber of Commerce. [email protected]. ment Program. This Lynn Wednesday, February 6, 6:00 P.M to 8:00 P.M. – Additional sponsors: Written comments ORKSHOPS round of workshops will Greater Lynn Senior Services, Lynn Area Chamber of Commerce, and Salem must be received by Harbor Development Corporation. build upon a dialogue the specified closing W Bedford Thursday, February 7, 7:30 P.M. to 9:30 P.M. – Additional sponsors: initiated with the public date to be included in during workshops held Minuteman Advisory Group for Interlocal Coordination and Town of Bed- ford. the final documents. last fall on the Trans- The comment period portation Plan Update. Boston Monday, February 11, noon to 3:00 P.M. at the State Transportation Building, and 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M at the Boston Public Library. Additional on the draft Plan At this month’s sessions sponsor: City of Boston. closes on February 28, MPO staff will again Natick Wednesday, February 13, 5:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. – Additional spon- and the comment lead small-group discus- sor: MetroWest Growth Management Committee. period on the proposed sions. UBLIC Somerville Wednesday, February 13, 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. – Additional Public Involvement

The draft Update P sponsor: City of Somerville. Program closes on includes revisions to March 11. Written policies guiding transportation planning described only the public review comments may be sent to CTPS, 10 Park in the region and sets forth a 25-year pro- process for MPO documents. The new Plaza, Boston, MA 02116, Attn.: Anne gram of 45 highway projects totalling program describes all the public McGahan, or to publicinformation@ $1.5 billion and 11 transit projects involvement efforts in which the MPO ctps.org. totalling $1.87 billion. The document typically engages, including public also contains an enhanced discussion of meetings, workshops, and seminars, environmental justice issues that reflects working with ad hoc committees and INSIDE THIS ISSUE the ongoing work of the Boston MPO other advisory groups, and disseminat- Environmental Justice Ad Hoc Commit- ing information through the MPO MPO activities update ...... 2 tee. Web site, Internet subscriptions, and Federal Transportation TRANSREPORT. Participants at the meetings will hear Appropriations bill ...... 2 how staff used the information gleaned The public is encouraged to review the MBTA service improvements . . . . . 3 two draft documents prior to attending from the fall workshops to develop the Logan Airport garage reopens . . . . . 3 draft Update, and they will have an this month’s meetings. Both may be Meeting calendar ...... 4 opportunity to ask questions as well as found on the MPO Web site at comment on the document. www.ctps.org by clicking on the

The members of the Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO): Executive Office of Transportation and Construction • City of Boston • City of Everett • City of Newton • City of Peabody • Federal Highway Administration • Federal Transit Administration • Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority • Massachusetts Bay Trans- portation Authority Advisory Board • Massachusetts Highway Department • Massachusetts Port Authority • Massachusetts Turnpike Authority • Metropolitan Area Plan- ning Council • Regional Transportation Advisory Council • Town of Bedford • Town of Framingham • Town of Hopkinton BOSTON METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION ACTIVITIES Appropriations for Transportation Approved TRANSPORTATION PLANNING & PROGRAMMING On December 18 COMMITTEE ACTION ITEMS Congress released Throughout January the Transportation Planning and Pro- the Conference gramming Committee continued development of the Transportation Plan Update and the MPO’s Public Report of the 2002 Involvement Program. On January 24 it voted to approve distribution of both docu- Transportation Appropriations bill. ments to the public for review periods of 30 days and 45 days, respectively (see Included in the bill are fiscal year 2002 related article on page 1). Federal Transit Administration apportion- The committee also voted on January 10 to approve the release of the MBTA Bus ments and allocations. The largest appor- Route 66 Arterial Improvement Study and on January 24 to circulate for review a tionment for the Boston region is $90.1 proposed adjustment to the fiscal year 2002–07 Transportation Improvement Pro- million in section 5307 formula funds. gram. The study, conducted by the Central Transportation Planning Staff for Except for one percent that is set aside for MassHighway and the MBTA, documents the performance of bus route 66, one of the Transit Enhancement Program, these the MBTA’s most heavily utilized routes, and traffic conditions on the roads it uses, funds may be used at the discretion of the which are key arterials for the region. It recommends strategies for alleviating traffic Boston MPO. congestion and better serving route 66’s 11,000 daily passengers. For a copy of the The remainder of the FTA money coming report, contact Lourenço Dantas at (617) 973-7100 or [email protected]. It may also be downloaded from the MPO Web site at www.ctps.org: click on the “What’s New” to the region is in section 5309 funding button. categories. The MBTA will receive $66.7 million in section 5309 Rail Moderniza- The proposed adjustment to the TIP amends the first three years of the current doc- tion funds, some of which will be spent on ument’s transit element. It reflects the actual federal funding apportionments for FY 2002 and current project schedules. It also programs, for capital projects, funds that MBTA facilities in the Central Massachu- were freed up by shifting preventive maintenance costs to the MBTA’s operating setts and Merrimack Valley MPOs. For the budget. The adjustment may also be found under “What’s New” on the MPO Web South Boston Piers Transitway, $10.5 mil- site or requested by contacting David Mohler at (617) 973-7100 or lion is earmarked through the New Starts [email protected]. program, and an additional $4 million is carried over from FY 2001. Section 5309 REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COUNCIL UPDATE Under the MPO’s recently negotiated Memorandum of Understanding the “JRTC” Bus funds for the region include $0.99 is history, but in its place is a new name for the MPO’s main public advisory group: million in new funds earmarked for proj- the Regional Transportation Advisory Council. Marcy Crowley, chair of the Advi- ects in MetroWest, at Salem Station and sory Council, believes the new name will better communicate the group’s function. at Beverly Station. In addition to funds for “Unlike our old one, this gives people a clear idea of who we are and what we do,” those projects and the Piers Transitway, she explained. “We are moving forward with a number of new initiatives, and this another $5.3 million is earmarked for first step sets the stage.” The Advisory Council chair also heads the MPO’s Public transit projects in the region through the Involvement Committee, a recently created standing committee of the Transporta- New Starts and Bus programs. tion Planning and Programming Committee, which developed the draft MPO Pub- lic Involvement Program, now available for public review (see above). The appropriations bill also includes funds for highway projects in the region. It ear- At the January Advisory Council meeting, Luisa Paiewonsky, director of MassHigh- marks $1.75 million in funding for the way’s Bureau of Transportation Planning and Development, former executive secre- construction of a new Chelsea Street tary of the MPO, and leader during the MOU negotiations, gave a detailed briefing on the MOU. At its February meeting, the Advisory Council will focus on the draft Bridge between Boston and Chelsea over Transportation Plan Update and the draft Public Involvement Program. All are wel- the Chelsea River. The current come to attend, listen, and share their views on these important documents. bridge’s channel is too narrow to allow the larger tankers to pass through. AACT UPDATE The Longfellow Bridge between The Access Advisory Committee to the MBTA has been developing a new Cambridge and Boston over brochure and revising its bylaws. The brochure, which describes AACT’s mission the Charles River is also the and accomplishments, is now available: contact Janie Guion at (617) 973 7100, [email protected], or (617) 973-7089 (TDD). Revision of the bylaws will be com- recipient of a congres- pleted by the spring. sional earmark, as $1.5 million has been set aside Nominations for an election of officers to be held in April were opened at the Janu- for the restoration of this ary AACT meeting. Philip Beaulieu accepted a nomination to continue as chair. Further nominations will be accepted at the February meeting, which will also fea- vital link for cars, pedes- ture a presentation on accessibility features of the Anderson Regional Transporta- trians, and the MBTA’s tion Center in Woburn. Red Line.

TRANSREPORT 2FEBRUARY 2002 Commuter Rail Information Improvements and Other T News

MBTA commuter rail passengers now ing them in planning trips around their BUS ROUTE 97 SERVICE have two new ways of obtaining schedule personal schedules and appointments. EXTENSION information for all trains: by checking new HEADHOUSE RESTORATION AT On January 3 the MBTA extended bus scrolling message signs on station plat- PARK STREET BOYLSTON route 97 to service the Gateway Center forms and by downloading schedules, etc., Historic preservation work on the exteri- shopping plaza in Everett. Bus route 97 onto their personal palm powered devices. ors of the Boylston and Park Street station provides service between Malden Station These options have been provided by the headhouses has been completed on the and Wellington Station via residential MBTA in its commitment to give passen- MBTA's Green Line. The restorations, areas in Everett and now continues gers the information they need for their which included the replacement of the beyond Wellington to three stops within trips to be smoother and a more attractive roofs of the four structures, began in Gateway Center, seven days a week. This alternative to motor vehicle travel. November 2000. Work was completed on new Service was implemented in response Installation of new LED (light emitting the pair of Boylston headhouses in Sep- to public feedback requesting such an diode) signs at 64 stations that were not tember 2001 and on the Park Street pair extension. already equipped with them was com- last month. For the latest news and to download pleted in 2001 under a $1.1 million con- As the structures are on the National Reg- schedules and route information visit the tract. All stations built after 1995 have ister of Historic Places, the work followed MBTA’s Web site at www.mbta.com. this technology as part of their design. Of strict guidelines. Not the 123 commuter rail stations in the sys- only are the headhouses tem, all but a handful have the signs up on the National Register, and running. The signs provide passengers but, being on Boston waiting on station platforms with up-to- Common, they are the-minute information on train status as located within a site that well as any other MBTA service is itself on the Register. announcements. The Green Line was The MBTA Web site provides a tour of its America’s first subway; it software for palm powered devices as well opened to the public on as downloading instructions and system September 1, 1897. The requirements. Users of this feature can Boylston and Park Street download the departure and arrival times headhouses are part of of more than 450 daily trips, enabling the original 1896 design. them to electronically organize train schedule and route information and assist- Restored headhouse at Park Street Station

Logan Airport Terminal B Garage Reopens

The Massachusetts Port Authority terminal at Logan, handling approxi- the checks made at the garage. In addi- reopened the Terminal B parking garage mately 500 flights per day. Later this tion, State Police have been conducting at Logan Airport on January 15. The year, elevated moving walkways will con- random searches of vehicles at roadblocks garage had been closed since September nect Central Parking to Terminal B, fur- three days a week throughout Logan Air- 12, when the Federal Aviation Adminis- ther enhancing parking options for trav- port. Each day a roadblock is in effect, an tration issued a security directive pro- elers using the terminal. average of 500 vehicles are searched. hibiting parking within 300 feet of an Several new security measures are in For more information on parking at airline terminal. Massport recently place at the Terminal B garage. Travelers Logan visit www.massport.com or call 1- requested and received a waiver for the are now asked to open their trunks, and 800-23-LOGAN. garage, after committing to increased the vehicles are searched by parking security measures. facility staff. Vehicles must now be The Terminal B garage is the most con- parked front-end-in at all parking spaces. venient parking facility at Logan Airport. Those in violation are ticketed and Its location, in the middle of the U- towed. Parked vehicles are also subject to shaped Terminal B, enables travelers to random checks by State Police. Massport make a quick connection from car to is currently exploring the feasibility of ticket counter. Terminal B is the busiest using explosive-detection equipment in

TRANSREPORT 3FEBRUARY 2002 Logan 2000 EDR Comment MEETING CALENDAR Period Extended The public is welcome to attend the following #442, #449, or #455 bus from Haymarket transportation-related meetings this month. A photo Station in Boston) The Massachusetts Port Authority has ID is usually required for access to meeting locations. Thursday, February 7 extended the public comment period for Transportation Plan Update and 7:30 P.M. AT THE STATE TRANSPORTATION BUILDING, Public Involvement Program the Logan Airport 2000 Environmental 10 PARK PLAZA, BOSTON Bedford Town Hall Data Report to February 8. This docu- Transit acccess: Take Green Line to Boylston 10 Mudge Way, Bedford ment provides a status report on: Station, or Orange Line to Chinatown Station Friday, February 8 Monday, February 11 Breaking Gridlock: Toward 7:30 P.M. • Passenger levels, aircraft operations, Transportation That Works: Transportation Plan Update and 12:00 P.M. and cargo volumes. Public Involvement Program Talk and Book-Signing Appalachian Mountain Club Transportation Library, 2nd Floor Cabot Auditorium • Planning, design, and construction Wednesday, February 13 4 Joy Street, Boston activities. Regional Transportation 3:00 P.M. (Contact: Jane Roy Brown at jroybrown@ Advisory Council amcinfo.org or at 617-523-0655 x332) • Conditions for key environmental indi- Conference Room 1 Monday, February 11 cators (ground transportation, noise Thursday, February 14 Transportation Plan Update and 6:00 P.M. abatement, air and water quality man- Boston MPO Transportation 10:00 A.M. Public Involvement Program Planning and Programming Boston Public Library agement) at Logan Airport for 2000. Committee Main Branch MPO Conference Room, Suite 2150 700 Boylston Street, Boston Contact Jacki Wilkins at (617) 568-3558 (Transit access: Take the Green Line to Cop- MBTA Board of Directors 1:00 P.M. ley Station, or take either the Orange Line or or [email protected] to request a Conference Room 2/3 the South Side commuter rail lines to Back copy of the report Thursday, February 21 Bay Station) Wednesday, February 13 Access Advisory Committee 1:00 P.M. TRANSREPORT to the MBTA (AACT) Transportation Plan Update and 5:30 P.M. Public Involvement Program Conference Room 1 PRODUCED BY THE CENTRAL TRANSPORTATION Natick Town Hall PLANNING STAFF AT OTHER BOSTON-AREA LOCATIONS 13 East Central Street, Natick Editors Photography Monday, February 4 (Transit access: Take Framingham/Worcester commuter rail line to Natick Station) Scott Hamwey Carol Gautreau Bent Route 2, Acton/Concord, 7:30 P.M. Mary Ellen Sullivan Feasibility Study Transportation Plan Update and 7:00 P.M. Contributors Acton Town Hall Public Involvement Program Graphics Jonathan Church Selectmen’s Room Tufts University Cafeteria Kate Parker Cathy Lewis 472 Main Street, Acton TAB Building, 2nd Floor Pam Wolfe Tuesday, February 5 167 Holland Street, Somerville (Transit access: Walk five blocks from Red PUBLISHED BY THE BOSTON METROPOLITAN Transportation Plan Update and 7:00 P.M. Line’s Davis Station or take #87 or #88 bus PLANNING ORGANIZATION Public Involvement Program from Davis Station) Weymouth Town Hall Kevin J. Sullivan, MPO Chair 75 Middle Street, Weymouth Dennis A. DiZoglio, Transportation Planning and (Transit access: Take #222 bus from Quincy Programming Committee Chair Center Red Line station) Wednesday, February 6 TRANSREPORT is available in accessible formats Transportation Plan Update and 6:00 P.M. to people with disabilities. Contact the Central Public Involvement Program Meeting dates and times are subject to change: please Transportation Planning Staff Certification Greater Lynn Senior Center call (617) 973-7119 for confirmation. Additional 8 Silsbee Street, Lynn transportation meetings open to the public are listed on Activities Group at (617) 973-7119 (voice), (Transit access: Take Newburyport/Rockport the Boston MPO Web site, at www.ctps.org/ boston- (617) 973-7089 (TTY), (617) 973-8855 (fax) or commuter rail line to Lynn Station or take mpo/involved/meetings. [email protected] (e-mail).

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TRANSREPORT is published monthly by the Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization to disseminate information on current transportation projects and issues within the Boston region. Comments and requests to be added or deleted from the mailing list are welcomed and should be sent either to TRANSREPORT Editor, CTPS, 10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150, Boston, MA 02116, or to [email protected]. TRANSREPORT is free. The preparation of this newsletter is financed in part by grants from the Federal Highway Administra- tion and the Federal Transit Administration.